UN chief condemns series of incidents in Abyei

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday condemned a series of incidents that occurred over the past two days in the disputed oil rich area of Abyei claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan. The UN chief called on the local communities in the region to resolve their disputes through dialogue. "The secretary-general condemns the series of incidents that occurred in Abyei in the past 48 hours, which resulted in the death of a United Nations national staff member and the injury of another," according to a statement issued by Ban's spokesman. "He urges the Abyei communities to return to calm and resolve their disputes through dialogue," the statement added. The final status of Abyei, a disputed region straddling the border between Sudan and South Sudan, has yet to be determined. It is one of the outstanding issues of the so-called Comprehensive Peace Agreement which helped bring an end to the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, before the latter's independence last year. Previously, the secretary-general urged both parties to peacefully work towards resolving the matter, among other unresolved issues. "The secretary-general remains extremely concerned that the Abyei Area joint institutions, including the police, have not yet been established and urges the parties to quickly address the issue," the statement said. Ban also sent his condolences through the statement to the families of the dead UN staff member. The UN has now operating a peacekeeping mission in the area -- the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The mission would oversee the demilitarization and maintain security of the area.